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Letters Patent No. 81,927, dated September 8, 1868.

IMPROVED MILLSTONE-VENTILATOR.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, JOHN METHERELL, of Rockford, in the county ofWinncbagmand State of Illinois, have invented a new and improvedApparatus for Cooling and Ventilating Millstones; and I do herebydeclare that the following is a full and exact description of the same,reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters ofreference marked thereon.

This invention consists in certain devices and arrangements ofair-chambers, passages, and fans, all to be hereinafter more fullydescribed, by which millstones may be efl'ectually cooled andventilated.

In the annexed drawings, making part of this specification. the sameletters refer to identical parts in all the figures, of which- I Figure1 represents a perspective view of the entire structure and attachedgearing.

Figure 2, a vertical longitudinal section through the stones andair-passages.

The stones, A A A, may be of the ordinary construction, and form no partof my invention. They are enelosed'in air-tight drums, the air beingadmitted through the eye, as shown at a a a. The stones are rotated, asusual, on spindles, which, in this case, terminate in bevel-wheels c cc, gearing into cog-wheels c e 0.

These cog-wheels revolve on the shaft D, to which power is applied inany suitable manner.' The shaft D is also provided with wheels E E Efixed upon it, and adapted. to bands.

From one side of the drums, which enclose the stones, and opening intothe drums, are vertical air-passages .or tubes F FF. These bend andenter the side ofthe horizontal air-passage or cooling-chamber G.

At the head of these tubes, and near their entrance into thecondensing-chamber G, are small fans, so set and operated as to drivethe air into the chamber. The fans are revolved by bands passing oversmall Wheels fixed on these shafts, and over the wheels E E E on shaftD.

From or near the centre of the condensing-chamber, rises an open shaftor pipe, H, which is surmounted by a central drum, I, carrying a fan, K,which is driven by a. band and wheel, connected by suitable gearing toshaft D. V

The drum has a passage, 0, opening out into the air or other chamber,and thefan is so arranged and operated as to draw the air from thecondensing-chamber and drive it out at the passage 0.

There is also provided a scraper, X, arranged to be drawn through thecentre OIXPflSSiLgG for the purpose ofremoving the accumulated dust. Thechamber may be closed at the ends, and the vertical air-passages at thepoints z a: w, by means of sliding valves.

If desired, one or more fans may be placed. at the end of the horizontaltube G forthe purpose of insuring a more perfect result when running anumber of stones.

The operation of my improved machinery is as follows:

When the mill is in 0peration, the air passes exclusively through theeyes, and, by the revolution, of the stones, is thrown to the periphery,where, in. its heated and expanded state, it rises in the tubes-orpassages F F F. The fans, at the head of these passages, revolving withgreat rapidity, force the air out into the main or cooling-chamber. Intothis chamber a. current of cool air is drawn at each end by means of thelarge fan K.

It is obvious that with the heated air the'dust is also takenfrom thestones and drawn'into the coolingchamber; that by the rush of cool airfrom eachend of the chamber, the moist and heated air will be cooled andcondensed, and that the-moisture will fall to the bottom, while theflour-dust may be carried to a receptionroom provided for that purpose.

It will be seen from the description that three important resultsaresimultaueously accomplished by the operation of my device.

First, it keeps the millstones constantly cool, thus making it possiblefor them to work continuously and evenly,-aud producing a better yieldand quality of flour.

Second, it takes away with the hot air all dust caused by the millstoueswhen in motion.

Third, it cools the hot air in the cooling-chamber, and the moisture isthus condensed and collected on the bottom of the chamber, and theflour-dust saved in a dry condition.

As it is absolutely necessary to the 'efi'ective operation of theapparatus thatiall other passages for the admission of air should beclosed, except the eyes at which-the air is adu iitted to the stones, itis evident that no dust will be thrown out to fly about the mill. we

Having thus fully described my invention, I wish it understood that I donot confine myself to the precise arrangement of operating-devices,bands, wheels, and gearing, which I have shown, as these may be variedwithout departing from the spirit of my invention; nor do I restrictmyself to the number of the stones or tubes, or to the form of thecooling-chamber; but

What I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is-

The arrangement of the pipes F, provided with fans, asdescribethincombination with the cooling-chamber G, central passage H,and fan I, as and for the purpose set forth. a

This specification signed and witnessed, this twenty-third day of June,1868.

- JOHN METHERELL.

Witnesses:

O. A. PENNOYER, G. W. FORD.

